……… it’s difficult not see it.
I don’t know how many times I had walked to St Davids Head along the undulating coastal path without seeing Coetan Arthur, the neolithic burial chamber. I had walked around it, possibly crawled under it and definitely photographed it in close up but never noticed how clearly it was visible from some distance away. Then one day I must have seen it and now I cannot walk along that section of the path without seeing it. It draws the eye. I don’t believe this a coincidence either; the coastal path presumably follows an ancient route to the promontory fort on the headland itself. The burial chamber must have been sited so prominently for good reason.
I realised on one visit that the burial chamber would be an excellent foreground against which to photograph the sunset – even if it was but a small feature in a big landscape. So, weather permitting, I have now walked there late in the evening several times to see what the sunset would bring. A few days ago I was in St Davids, exhausted after a day on the road visiting my postcard customers. The weather hadn’t been great but I could see a hint of something interesting in the sky as the evening drew on. I grabbed my camera bag and set off.
It turned out be a rather wonderful sunset. After the sun disappeared behind the headland all sorts of oranges and reds appeared in the clouds above it. The burial chamber was silhouetted nicely against this stunning backdrop. So, for a photographer who doesn’t really “do” sunsets, I seemed to have struck lucky again.
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That happened to me about ten years ago – why was it suddenly so prominent when I had been walking out to St David’s Head twice a week to do sea-bird surveys and not noticed it at all from the path! But, what with carrying a big tripod, telescope, seat, and lunch, I didn’t have the energy to take a camera, and was usually too cold and/or stiff afterward each survey session to even think about photography.
How interesting! It’s not just me. Thanks for posting.
Right place, right time again!
Brian
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Hi Brian,
Hope you don’t mind me saying that it wasn’t entirely down to chance. You do have to factor in years of experience and a knowledge of the area!
I see there’s a hen harrier action day at Carsington tomorrow. I wish I lived a bit closer…..
Hope you’re well, Jerry.
Of course, no slur intended. Always in awe of the amount of effort you put in to being in the right place at the right time. Incidentally, or perhaps co-incidentally, did you see the Guardian article about the deep space monitoring stations intended for the St David’s peninsula?
Yes …. Intending to put in an appearance this sat, should be interesting. Might bike up there, now I have a bike! Although it might also be good to walk, take some butties and make a day of it. I see more walking.
All the best,
B
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Good to hear from you – I have seen something about Deep Space Monitoring stations. There’s also something ghastly going on at Llanbedr near Harlech so i think they might both be part of the same project. There’s no end to the desecration that’s going on…….